Temporal and Spatial Variations in Particle Fluxes on the Chukchi Sea and East Siberian Sea Slopes From 2017 to 2018

Abstract

Time-series sediment traps were deployed on the Chukchi Sea and East Siberian Sea slopes from August 2017 to August 2018 with the aim of elucidating the temporal and spatial variations in particle fluxes and identifying the main processes affecting those variations. Particle fluxes showed a typical seasonal pattern, with high values in summer and low values in other seasons, and a large inter-annual variation was observed only on the East Siberian Sea slope, where particle fluxes were one order of magnitude higher in early August 2018 than in late August 2017. This large inter-annual variation in particle flux resulted from the episodic intrusion of nutrient-enriched shelf water in the East Siberian Sea, which enhanced biological production at the surface and particle fluxes. The Chukchi Sea slope was influenced by the inflow of Anadyr Water, with high salinity and high nutrient concentrations, which had little annual variability. Therefore, particle flux showed little inter-annual variation on the Chukchi Sea slope. Under-ice phytoplankton blooms were observed in both the Chukchi Sea and East Siberian Sea slopes, and increases in particulate organic carbon (POC) flux and the C:N ratio under the sea ice were related to transparent exopolymer (TEP) production by ice algae. On the East Siberian Sea slope, particle fluxes increased slightly from 115 to 335 m, indicating lateral transport of suspended particulate matter; POC and lithogenic particles may be laterally transported to the slope as nutrient-rich shelf waters flowed from the East Siberian Sea to the Makarov Basin. Annual POC fluxes were 2.3 and 2.0 g C m–2 year–1 at 115 and 335 m, respectively, on the East Siberian Sea slope and was 2.1 g C m–2 year–1 at 325 m on the Chukchi Sea slope. Annual POC fluxes were higher on the Chukchi Sea and East Siberian Sea slopes than in Arctic basins, lower than on Arctic shelves, and generally similar to those on western Arctic slopes.

Seasonal Flux of Ice‐Related Organic Matter During Under‐Ice Blooms in the Western Arctic Ocean Revealed by Algal Lipid Biomarkers

“…Two mooring systems were deployed, one at the Korea Polar Research Institute (KOPRI) Arctic Mooring Systems 1 (KAMS1) station (75° 48.0´N, 177° 3.4´E, water depth of 532 m) on the East Siberian Sea slope, and one at the and KAMS2 station (75° 14.7´N, 171°58.9´W, water depth of 510 m) on the Chukchi Sea slope, from August 2017 to August 2018 onboard the R/V Araon of the KOPRI (Figure 1, Kim et al., 2021). Sinking particles were collected using sediment traps (PARFLUX model, McLane) at depths of 115 m on the East Siberian Sea slope and 325 m on the Chukchi Sea slope.…”

“…The fluorescence and SIC data were averaged at intervals of 15-31 days, in line with the sampling period of the sediment trap sample collection (Table 1). Total mass flux (TMF) and POC content data were obtained from Kim et al (2021). These data were used to determine the presence of general relationships between the environmental parameters (TMF, POC, SIC, and chl.…”

Trophic Dynamics of Calanus hyperboreus in the Pacific Arctic Ocean

“…10.1029/2020JC017063 8 of 15 The NESS is influenced by saline (<33 psu) and nutrient-rich water mass from East Siberian shelf (Anderson et al, 2017). Although the influence of such water mass to the NESS is varied yearly (Kim et al, 2021;Nishino et al, 2013), the diatom showed dominant contribution to the phytoplankton community in summer (Lalande et al, 2019;Lee et al, 2019). Such different hydrodynamic conditions could affect the composition of available diet sources for zooplankton in the NCS and NESS.…”

Interannual Variation of Settling Particles Reflects Upper‐Ocean Circulation in the Southern Chukchi Borderland, 2010‐2014

“…water mass distribution in 2012-2013. According to sediment trap experiment at Station KAMS2 near CAP in 2017-2018, seasonal maximum of total mass flux reaching to 337 mg m −2 day −1 was observed in summer 2017(Kim et al, 2021). The secondary maximum of total mass flux at Station KAMS2 reached to 67.7 mg m −2 day −1 in April 2018, which was lower than the total mass fluxes at CAP for early March to mid-May in 2013 (103.4-255.1 mg m −2 day −1 ).…”

“…Interannual hydrographic variations, such as changes in surface ocean circulation, oceanic eddies, and sea ice condition should be reflected in the interannual variation of plankton assemblages and settling particle fluxes. In the western Arctic Ocean, sediment trap moorings has supplied many kinds of data on biogeochemical condition and lower trophic marine ecosystems (e.g., Bai et al, 2019;Hauri et al, 2018;Kim et al, 2021;Lalande et al, 2020). Such information is important both for understanding changing Arctic marine ecosystems and for use as validation data for the development of numerical models for marine ecosystems in the Arctic Ocean.…”